For many people who work within the optical business, customization has always been part of the history of eyewear, as experienced opticians, knowledgeable doctors, and skilled craftsmen, in factories and laboratories, have long done their part to recommend, suggest and fabricate optical frames and spectacle lenses which are best suited to an individual patients’ vision correction needs and their lifestyle.

Today, though, technology has amped up personalization’s power.

Choice seems to be a higher priority in the minds of many consumers, They are being made aware of choosing product options when they order their morning coffee, shop around for cars when they can compare and contrast features, materials and colors, and when they consider apparel purchases customized to their physical size and body shape.

From considering variations of product shapes, colors and features, to playing an active role in making a frame material choice for a frame front or temple, to seeing what face shape and measurements can take into account a person’s unique, signature facial details—all of these are part of what VM calls a “megatrend,” one which we delve into in our cover feature in this edition.

An important note to our readers: personalization options, facilitated by intuitive, easy-to-use and robust new digital technology systems, signage and features, is still developing.

This doesn’t mean you need to wait before you decide to go forward with personalization features and programs for your practice or dispensary. Do, try it now.

Just know that you’ll be seeing much more in this arena as new programs and systems take shape in the year ahead. Check them out at the upcoming Vision Expo this month. They’ll be there. Ask your vendor partners about their own personalized-capable collections, product ranges and digital choices.

Don’t let the technology angle stop you. Recognize the power of recommendations from customers and patients on social when they’re happy with their choices and the positive feedback that corroborates for your business. Embrace the vital role that you and your associates can play in helping patients have fun and choose, even help create the product choices they make.

Customers today want experiences. They like to take an active and participatory role in their purchases.

The new personalization megatrend is an example of that—and all ECPs and retailers IRL (in real life) can turn the tech that helps it happen into an expertise asset.

maxelrad@jobson.com